Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, plans to leave the country's top military job in the coming months. He said he will then dedicate his life to Christ. He made the announcement on his official X account.
"My time as CDF is coming to an end. I have accomplished all the tasks my God gave me. In a few months I will handover this office to a qualified officer. I shall dedicate my life to Christ after that," he wrote. He gave no date for the handover and named no possible successor.
In a follow-up post on Friday, Muhoozi wrote: "Don't worry I'm still around. At least for another year." The Eastleigh Voice took this to mean he expects to stay in the military for at least another year. According to Capital FM, as carried by AllAfrica, the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has not issued a separate statement on the planned transition.
Muhoozi is the son of President Yoweri Museveni. Museveni appointed him CDF on March 21, 2024, replacing General Wilson Mbadi. Mbadi later became Minister of State for Trade, the Eastleigh Voice reported. Muhoozi formally took over on March 28, 2024, at a ceremony at the UPDF 4th Division Headquarters in Gulu. He became the 13th officer to hold the post.
Before that, he served as Museveni's senior presidential adviser on special operations. He also held senior army posts, including commander of land forces. On taking office, he pledged to improve soldiers' welfare, fight corruption and fix the poor management of military resources. He also promised to strengthen the UPDF against terrorism, cattle rustling and cybercrime.
His appointment drew wide public attention, partly because of his family ties to the President and his growing role in politics, the Eastleigh Voice reported. His military career has also been debated as Ugandans discuss the country's political succession. The outlet said the announcement is likely to renew questions about the UPDF's future leadership and Muhoozi's next steps.